Automated elevator maintenance mode initiation

Abstract

An illustrative example elevator system includes at least one elevator car that is moveable along a hoistway. An elevator controller is configured to respond to a communication from a portable device indicating a desire for the at least one elevator car to be placed in a maintenance mode and indicating a location of desired hoistway access. The controller automatically moves the elevator car to a determined positon based on the communication. That position corresponds to the location of the desired hoistway access. The controller performs at least one automated procedure to place the elevator car in the maintenance mode. The controller provides an indication to the portable device that the elevator car is in the determined position and that the automated procedure has been completed.

We claim: 
     
       1. An elevator system, comprising:
 at least one elevator car that is moveable along a hoistway; and 
 an elevator controller that is configured to:
 respond to a communication from a portable device indicating a desire for the at least one elevator car to be placed in a maintenance mode and indicating a location of desired hoistway access, 
 automatically move the at least one elevator car to a determined position based on the communication, the determined position corresponding to the location of desired hoistway access, 
 perform at least one automated procedure to place the at least one elevator car in the maintenance mode based on the communication, and 
 provide an indication to the portable device that the at least one elevator car is in the determined position and the at least one automated procedure is complete. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The elevator system of  claim 1 , comprising a second elevator car and
 wherein the controller is configured to: 
 determine an access level corresponding to the location of desired hoistway access, 
 determine a boarding level where maintenance personnel can board the second elevator car, 
 automatically cause the second elevator car to arrive at the boarding level based on the communication, and 
 automatically cause the second elevator car to carry the maintenance personnel to the access level. 
 
     
     
       3. The elevator system of  claim 1 , wherein the location of desired hoistway access is one of on top of the at least one elevator car and a pit beneath the at least one elevator car. 
     
     
       4. The elevator system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the at least one automated procedure comprises a plurality of automated procedures; and 
 the controller is configured to perform the plurality of automated procedures in a predetermined order based on the location of desired hoistway access. 
 
     
     
       5. The elevator system of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of automated procedures includes at least verifying a condition of a plurality of hoistway doors along the hoistway and verifying a condition of a maintenance switch. 
     
     
       6. The elevator system of  claim 5 , wherein the elevator controller verifies the condition of the hoistway doors by determining whether any of the hoistway doors is open. 
     
     
       7. The elevator system of  claim 5 , wherein the elevator controller verifies the condition of the maintenance switch by at least one of automatically setting the maintenance switch into a maintenance mode position and determining whether the maintenance switch is in the maintenance mode position. 
     
     
       8. The elevator system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to
 receive the communication prior to arrival of maintenance personnel and the portable device at a site of the elevator system; 
 move the at least one elevator car to the determined position prior to or upon arrival of the maintenance personnel and the portable device at the site; and 
 complete at least one automated procedure prior to or upon arrival of the maintenance personnel and the portable device at the site. 
 
     
     
       9. The elevator system of  claim 1 , comprising the portable device and wherein the portable device comprises a user interface that is configured to
 allow maintenance personnel to indicate the desire for the at least one elevator car to be placed in the maintenance mode and the location of desired hoistway access to the elevator controller; and 
 provide an output to the maintenance personnel indicating at least that the elevator car has arrived at the determined position. 
 
     
     
       10. The elevator system of  claim 9 , wherein the portable device is configured to
 receive instructions from the elevator controller regarding at least one manual procedure needed to place the at least one elevator car in the maintenance mode prior to the maintenance personnel accessing the hoistway; 
 provide an output corresponding to the at least one manual procedure; 
 receive input from the maintenance personnel indicating that the at least one manual procedure is complete; and 
 provide a confirmation to the elevator controller when the at least one manual procedure is complete. 
 
     
     
       11. The elevator system of  claim 9 , wherein
 the elevator controller determines whether the at least one elevator car is still in the maintenance mode after a first preselected period of time; 
 the elevator controller communicates with the portable device indicating that the at least one elevator car is still in the maintenance mode after the first preselected period of time; 
 the portable device provides an output for maintenance personnel regarding ending the maintenance mode; and 
 the elevator controller ends the maintenance mode after receiving an indication from the portable device to end the maintenance mode or expiration of a second, longer preselected period of time. 
 
     
     
       12. The elevator system of  claim 9 , wherein the portable device is configured to
 determine when the portable device is leaving or has left the site of the elevator system; and 
 provide a prompt for the maintenance personnel regarding a status of the maintenance mode of the at least one elevator car. 
 
     
     
       13. The elevator system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller is configured to use stored information regarding a user-preferred elevator car position corresponding to the location of desired hoistway access; and 
 the stored information is associated with an identifier of maintenance personnel that previously provided information regarding the user-preferred elevator car position. 
 
     
     
       14. A method of facilitating maintenance of an elevator system that includes at least one elevator car that is moveable along a hoistway, the method comprising:
 automatically responding to a communication from a portable device indicating a desire for the at least one elevator car to be placed in a maintenance mode and indicating a location of desired hoistway access; 
 automatically moving the at least one elevator car to a determined position based on the communication, the determined position corresponding to the location of desired hoistway access; 
 performing at least one automated procedure to place the at least one elevator car in the maintenance mode based on the communication; and 
 providing an indication to the portable device that the at least one elevator car is in the determined position and the at least one automated procedure is complete. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the elevator system includes a second elevator car and the method comprises
 determining an access level corresponding to the location of desired hoistway access, 
 determining a boarding level where maintenance personnel can board the second elevator car, 
 automatically causing the second elevator car to arrive at the boarding level based on the communication, and 
 automatically causing the second elevator car to carry the maintenance personnel to the access level. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one automated procedure comprises a plurality of automated procedures and the method comprises
 performing the plurality of automated procedures in a predetermined order based on the location of desired hoistway access; and 
 wherein the plurality of automated procedures includes at least verifying a condition of a safety chain associated with a plurality of hoistway doors along the hoistway and verifying a condition of a maintenance switch. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , comprising
 receiving the communication prior to arrival of maintenance personnel and the portable device at a site of the elevator system; 
 moving the at least one elevator car to the determined position prior to or upon arrival of the maintenance personnel and the portable device at the site; and 
 completing at least one automated procedure prior to or upon arrival of the maintenance personnel and the portable device at the site. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , comprising
 providing instructions regarding manual procedures needed to place the at least one elevator car in the maintenance mode prior to the maintenance personnel accessing the hoistway; 
 confirming that the manual procedures are complete; and 
 providing an indication that the elevator system is configured for the maintenance mode after the manual procedures are complete. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 14 , comprising
 storing information regarding a user-preferred elevator car position corresponding to the location of desired hoistway access; and 
 associating the stored information with an identifier of maintenance personnel that previously provided information regarding the user-preferred elevator car position. 
 
     
     
       20. A portable device for use by elevator maintenance personnel, the device comprising:
 a transceiver configured to communicate with an elevator controller of an elevator system; and 
 a user interface configured to receive user input and to provide user output, the user input allowing the maintenance personnel to indicate a desire for at least one elevator car to be placed in a maintenance mode and to indicate a location of desired hoistway access to the elevator controller, the user output indicating at least that the elevator car has arrived at the determined position. 
 
     
     
       21. The portable device of  claim 20 , wherein
 the transceiver is configured to receive instructions from the elevator controller regarding manual procedures needed to place the at least one elevator car in the maintenance mode prior to the maintenance personnel accessing the hoistway; 
 the user interface is configured to provide an output corresponding to the manual procedures; 
 the user interface is configured to receive input from the maintenance personnel indicating that the manual procedures are complete; and 
 the transceiver is configured to provide a confirmation to the elevator controller when the manual procedures are complete. 
 
     
     
       22. The portable device of  claim 20 , wherein
 the transceiver is configured to receive a communication from the elevator controller that the at least one elevator car is still in the maintenance mode after a first preselected period of time; 
 the user interface is configured to provide an indication regarding ending the maintenance mode; and 
 the user interface is configured to allow the maintenance personnel to provide an indication for the elevator controller regarding whether the maintenance personnel desires to end the maintenance mode. 
 
     
     
       23. The portable device of  claim 20 , wherein
 the portable device is configured to determine when the portable device is leaving or has left the site of the elevator system; and 
 the user interface is configured to provide a prompt for the maintenance personnel regarding a status of the maintenance mode of the at least one elevator car. 
 
     
     
       24. A non-transitory storage medium containing a plurality of processor-executable instructions, comprising:
 instructions to receive user input from maintenance personnel indicating a desire for at least one elevator car to be placed in a maintenance mode and indicating a location of desired hoistway access; 
 instructions to communicate information corresponding to the user input with an elevator controller of an elevator system; and 
 instructions to provide user output to the maintenance personnel indicating at least that the elevator car has arrived at the determined position.